I had to take a Lyft to the mechanic today. I got in the car and it smelled like poop. In fact, it was so bad that I rolled the window down just so I could tolerate it. Nonetheless, the driver was a friendly, authentic guy, and after I found out he was a musician we started talking about music. I asked him what kind of music he liked and he said he’s very picky but his favorite band is Thin Lizzy. Trying to gage his range of taste, I started asking him about the basics. What did he think of the Beatles? He liked them a lot but they weren’t an absolute favorite. What about The Stones? Now this is where it got offbeat, so to speak. He said he thought The Stones were really good songwriters but not skilled at playing instruments. “You don’t think Keith Richards is a good guitarist?” I asked. “Nah,” he laughed. “They all sound like little kids trying to play music.” Then he told me that when he used to play in a band in New York, his band used to cover five Stones songs and they did them better. I think he even said they played them “the way they were supposed to sound.”
Interesting take.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I respect that. But what I was thinking was: Dude, The Rolling Stones are arguably the most successful, long-lasting band in rock and roll history—who are still together after more than six (6!) decades—and you are working for Lyft, driving customers around in your poo-smelling vehicle, you’re in a band that isn’t playing any gigs (I’d asked), and you actually think you can play Stones’ songs better than they can?
How is that belief working out for you?
The Way I See It 